Store-service apparatus



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. COWLEY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

as Phololilhngnphqn Wnhingion, n. c.

(No Model.) 8 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. J. T. COWLEY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 394.557. Patented Dec. 1888.

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7 i is 4 s I;

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(No Model.) I s Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. T. COWLEY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 394,557. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

N. PETERS. Phawulho n her. Washington. D. C.

(No ModeL) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. T. COWLEY.

, STORE SBRVIGE APPARATUS. No. 394,557. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

LA at (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. T. COWLEY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

N0. 394,552. Patented Dem 18. 1888.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

J T. COWLEY.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 394,557. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. COIVLEY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON STORESERVICE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,557, dated December18, 1888.

Application filed May 18, 1887. Serial No. 238,676. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. COWLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have in.- ventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of storeservice apparatus in whichwheeled carriers travel from a central desk to and past a series ofcounters, each being arrested automatically at its proper station uponone rail, and are conducted upon another rail back to the central desk;and my invention consists in constructing the parts as fully set forthhereinafter, so as to facilitate the transfer of the carriers from onetrack to the other at the central desk, and the automatic transfer ofeach car from the main line to its proper branch line, and to lift eachcar at its station from the lower rail to the upper return-rail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of sufficient ofa store-service apparatus to illustrate the main features of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the receiving device at the maindesk. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 1 2, Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating amodification of 0 the transfer device. 5 is an elevation of part of themain rail, a branch rail, and switch device of the track leading fromthe desk to one of the stations. Fig. (3 is a section on the line 3 i,Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a side view ofthe switch and adjacent parts in connection with the upper rails. Fig. 8is a sect-ion on the line 5 6, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a plan of the partsshown in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is an end view of the carrier. Fig. 1.1is a side view of the carrier. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of theelevator. Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the elevator. Fig. 14 is a planof the elevator on the line 7 8.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown it inconnection with a track consisting of two ways, A 15, the cashiers deskC, and a single salesmans station, D, connected with the main track by abranch track having ways A B, the ways A A inclining downward toward thedesk C, and the ways B B inclining toward the salesmans station; but itshould be understood that in most instances there are a series oftracks, each extending past a series of salesmens stations and allcoin'erging at a single desk, as is common in some classes ofstore-service apparatus, where a series of carriers travel upon waysback and forth between the desk and the stations.

My improvements relate more especially to the construction of thereceiver at the cashiers desk; to the switch, whereby proper carriersare transferred from the main track to the branch track, according tothe stations at which they are to be delivered; to the elevator, bymeans of which carriers are lifted at the salesmans station from thereceivingway to the upper delivery-way, and to the construction of thecarriers. I have therefore illustrated these portions of the apparatusmore particularly without attempting to set forth in detail otherfeatures of the structure which do not constitute any specific portionof my improvements.

I will first describe the receiver designated by the letter E in Fig. 1,and illustrated in plan, Fig. 2, and in elevation, Fig. 3.

At the receiver the ends of the upper rail,

A, and of the lower rail, B, are brought to the same plane, and are bothsupported from a cross-bar, 2, by brackets 23 l, the cross-barbeingsupported by a hanger or other device in any suitable manner.

Upon a rod, 3, constituting the lower end of the hanger 5, swings abracket, F, which carries or is formed to constitute a part of thereceiver-track, and being inclined or curved, as shown at j, whichprovides an effective stop to the onward movement of the carrier, andwhich bracket may be swung to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 tocoincide with the rail A, so as to receive a carrier therefrom, or tothe position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2,to coincide with the rail 13,so as to delivera carrier thereto, and the said bracket is provided witha lip, 7, for contacting with stops 8 9 upon or adjacent to the rails AB, to limit the swing of the bracket, so that when the lat ter is ineither position its rail portion will coincide exactly with the oppositetrack-rail. IOO

A spring, 10, is wound around the rod 6 and connected thereto and to theswinging bracket F, and tends to maintain the latter normally incoincidence with the rail A.

The bracket 3 is prolonged downward to form a finger, 12, supporting astop, 13, in position to contact with a stop, 14, upon the carrier, soas to arrest thelatter before it reaches the receiver, and the attendantmay at any time transfer the carrier from the track A to the receiver bytilting the carrier slightly to one side to remove the stop 14 from thestop 13, and then running it onto the receiving.

track, after which the latter is swun g to coincide with the track B,and the carrier is pushed onto the latter by hand. iy these means eachcarrier is arrested automatically as it reaches the receiver, so thatthe contents can be removed and replaced, and is then readilytransferred to the receiver and to the delivery-track without thenecessity of any nice manipulation by the cashier and'without thenecessity of removing the carrier from its support, while there is nodanger of the derailing of the carriers in any position.

It will be evident that instead of supporting the receiver from apendenthanger it may be supported upon a standard; and while I have shown aswinging receiver it will be evident that the receiving-track may slideto carry the receiver from the rail A to the rail B. Thus in Fig. 4.Ihave showna carriage, G, sliding upon guides 18 18, and carrying thereceiver E, having a similar inclined stop, as previously described withreference to Fig. 3, which receiver may be slid from one side to theother, so as to be brought to coincide with rail A.

After a carrier has been sent from the cashiers desk along the rail B itwill continue its movement until it reaches a receiving-station orsalesmans station upon the main line, or until it reaches the end of abranch line, to which it should be transferred, and the carriers areprovided with means whereby such as are to be transferred to the branchline are automatically deflected to said line while others continue tomove upon the main track.

The construction of the switches is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and9, and one construction of carrier for operation in conjunction with theswitch is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In said figures,'A' and B represent,respectively, the ends of the upper and lower rails, and A? and B theswitch-rails. Adjacent to each switch the upper rails are supported byyokes or brackets I J, and the lower rails by yokes I J, each yokesuspended by a rod or wire, 19,'from any suitable support, and the lowerportion or fork of the yoke supporting the main rail while the upperfork of the yoke I supports a guard, H, and the corresponding fork ofthe yokes J J support each the end of the adjacent branch rail, whichhas a lug, 21, Fig. 9, projecting from one side and recessed to receiveapendent rod, 26, constituting one prong of the yoke. Upon each of therods 26 swings a bracket, 27, which is connected to or forms part of theswitch-rail A or B which is curved, as shown, and is also notched at theouter end to permit it to be thrown over and coincide at the extreme endwith the surface of the main rail, and which then rises, forming anelevation, 50, and the heel of the switchrail practically coincides withthe end of the branch rail, with sufficient play between the two topermit the switch-rail to assume either of the positions shown in fulland dotted lines, Fig. 9. A spring, 28, is coiled around the rod 26, isfastened at one end to the latter and at the other end to the bracket orswitchrail, and tends to normally maintain the latter out of contactwith the main rail in the position shown in dotted lines,-Fig. 9.

hen a carrier moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, approachesthe switch, the latter will be open, and if the carrier is not to betransferred to the branch track it will pass between the switch andalong the main rail; but if it is to be transferred to the branch trackthe switch-rail will be automaticallycarried to the position shown inFig. 9, as set forth hereinafter, and the carrier will ride up onto theelevated portion 0a of the switchrail until the flanges of its wheelsare raised above the edge of the main rail, and will then move acrossthe main rail onto the switchrail, and from the latter to thebranch-rail toward the station.

Then a car is traveling from the salesmans station toward the desk inthe direction upon the branch rail A of the arrow, Fig. 7, the side ofthe carrier is brought against the guard H, which presses laterallyagainst the carrier and forces the latter and the switchrail A againstthe resistance of the spring 28 to the position shown in full lines,Fig. 9, so that the carrier will pass from the switch-rail onto themain-track rail A, after which the spring will carry the switch-railback to position shown in dotted lines in said figure.

In order that each "switch-rail B may. be swung to the position shown infull lines in Fig.9 when acarrier is to be transferred to the branchrail B, I provide each carrier with a contacting piece or deflector, K,Fig. 11, so arranged that it will contact with the end of the switch Band move it inward to the position shown in full lines, Fig. 9, beforethe first wheel of the car is in position to ride onto the switch-rail,and after the car has moved from the switch-rail to the branch rail Bthe spring 28 will restore the switch to its open position.

-The cars may be differently constructed and provided with differentforms of deflectors or contact-pieces; but a preferable construction isillustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. In said figures, L is the frame of thecar supported from grooved wheels 29 29, and supporting the re- IOO I lo

ceptacle 30, and provided'with the pivoted gates or wings 31, whichclose the space be tween the wheel and the frame opposite the hangers ofthe frame, so as to prevent the cars from being derailed, but which areopened by the contact of lugs 32 upon the gates with properly-disposedfingers when the car is to pass one of the rail-supports, in a mannertoo well known to need further description.

In the frame moves vertically a slide, M, which is maintained normallyin an elevated position by means of a spring, 33, and which is providedwith a lug or shoulder, 34, for catching upon the shoulder of a detentor pawl, 35, hung to the frame, and when engaging with the lug 34holding the slide in its lowest position.

The deflector K is fastened to and carried by the slide M, and when thelatter is in its lowest position (see dotted lines, Fig. 11) thedeflector will not contact with the switch-rail; but when the detent 35is swung, to permit the slide and the deflector to rise, the deflectorwill contact with the switch-rail and switch the carrier. The detent 35is hung to a shaft, 36, provided with an arm, 37, and a spring, 38,tends to swing the shaft and carry the detent toward the lug 34, so thatit will automatically engage with the lug when the slide is depressed,and stops N, Figs. 5 and 6, are arranged upon the yokes J, or otherwisesuit ably supported adjacent to the track, so as to contact with thearms 37 of the carriers, and thereby swing the detent and permit the defiectors K to rise in position to operate the next switch to which thecarrier is brought.

As all the carriers are not to be deflected at the same switch, the arms37 or the stops N are graduated or adjusted (see dotted lines, Figs. 10and 6) so that only the arms of the carriers that are to be deflected ata switch will strike the preceding stop. I have shown the constructionabove described for the purpose of illustrating one form of deflector;but it will be evident that different forms of deflectors may be used inconnection with carriers and switches describedas, for instance, 1

such different forms as I have illustrated in my application for LettersPatent, Serial N 0. 237,347. arrangements of detent-s and releasingdevices may be used, according to the construction and arrangement ofthe deflector.

The elevator devices are illustrated in detail in Figs. 12, 13, and 14.

suitable form, sliding upon guides which, as shown, consist of twoparallel suspended bars, 55 55, constituting a hanger, the said carriagebeing raised and lowered so as to bring a railsection, Q, thereof intocoincidence either with the end of the receiving branch rail B ordelive1y branch rail A, each of which is supported by means of a bracketextending from the hanger.

The rail-section Q is pivoted by a 1. in, 37, to

It will also be evident that different the carriage P, so as to take theposition shown in either full or dotted lines, Fig. 12, and to the endof the rail-section Q farthest from the branch rails is fastened one endof a flexible elevating-cord, R, which passes around a pulley, 38,carried by an arm, 39, on the carriage P, and also around pulleys 40 41,carried by the hanger, and downward to a suitable reel or other take-updevice adjacent to the salesman. Adjacent to the lower track, 13, ispiv:oted a detent-lever, 42, which, when the carriage is in its raisedposition, is maintained by a spring, I, in a position (see dotted lines)to contact with and arrest the carriers approaching the station upon therail B; but when the carriage is in position to receive a carrier, or inits lower position, the end of a detent (hereinafter more fullydescribed) contacts with the short end of the detent-lever and carriesthe latter to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 14, so that thecar previously arrested upon the rail B will pass forward onto thecarriage.

\Vhen the carriage is in the position shown in Fig. 12, a carrier movingin the direction of the arrow along the rail B will pass onto thepivoted rail-section Q, and the latter being overweighted at the innerend will tilt to the position shown in dotted lines, thereby retainingthe carrier in its place; or when the distance between the end of thepivoted railsection and the pulley 38 is sufficient the carrier may thendescend upon the cord R, which will swing downward as a loop and permitthe carrier to be lowered to any desired extent. The pivotedrail-section is provided with an arm or projection, 43, which, when saidrailsection is tilted, engages with a detent, 44, consisting of a leverpivoted to a pin, 45, and bearing against the side of the projection 43when the rail-section Q is in the position shown in Fig. 12, andactuated by a spring, 40', so as to slip under the said projection 42)when the rail-section is tilted, and thus the inclined position of saidrail-section is maintained.

If the salesman now desires to transfer the carrier to the upper rail,A, he pulls upon the pendent portion of the cord R, and thereby drawsthe latter to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 12, therail-section Q maintaining its inclined position, so as to hold thecarrier in place, and thus elevates the carriage until the outer end ofthe lever 44 contacts 5 with a finger, 47, adjacent to the rail A, whenthe lever will be swung to the position shown The elevator consists of acarriage, P, of any in Fig. 14 away from below the lug 43, when thetension upon the cord R will swing the rail-section Q to a horizontalposition coinciding with the branch rail A, and the car will then runonto said branch rail in the direction of the arrow 1 and along thelatter toward the main track and to the cashiers desk. The lever 44,thus held by the lug 43 in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 14, is inposition to contact with the lever-detent 42 when the carriage islowered, so as to cause the latter to release a carrier stopped by it onthe rail B, so as to permit said carrier to run onto the rail-section Q,as before described.

By the construction above described I secure the carrier with absolutesafety upon the carriage and prevent its displacement until the carriageis lifted to its proper position, and then, by means of the same cordthat elevates the carriage, I restore the rail Q, to a position todischarge the carriage onto the rail A. It will be evident that thecarriage may be guided vertically in different ways and may beconstructed in different Ways, according to the character of thecarrier, and I therefore do not limit myself to the specificconstruction and arrangement of parts shown.

In order to counterbalance the carriage, I use a counterbalance-weight,NV, secured to a cord passing over an elevated pulleyand downward to thecarriage, and I prefer to provide the latter with friction-rollersbearingagainst the guides, although this is not essential. too, thehanger may be provided with a stop, T, which'contacts with a portion ofthe can riage, which may be cushioned or not, so as to limit the upwardmovement thereof.

In order to close the guards or gates 31 after the car has passed theconnections with the tilting rail Q, and to open the gates to allow thecar to be restored to the switch-track, I

provide the carriage P with a pivoted curved.

lever, S, which as it contacts with the lugs 32 of the gates closes thegates as the car enters and opens the gates as the car leaves theelevator.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown, I claim 1. The combination,with the receiving anddelivering rails converging toward the cashiers desk, of thereceiver-rail movable in a horizontal plane to coincide with either ofthe said rails and provided withan inclined end stop, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination, with the receiving and delivering rails of astore-service apparatus,

of a receiver arranged at the cashiers desk,

and consisting of a bracket pivoted at one end and adapted to coincideat the other end with either of the said rails and provided with aninclined end stop, substantially as set forth. 3. The combination of thereceiving and delivering rails, pivoted receiver-rail having an inclinedend stop, spring bearing upon the rail to maintain it in coincidencewith one of the track-rails, and contactpieces upon the rails,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l. The combination, with the main rail of a store-service apparatus, ofa branch rail and a switch-rail movable to and from the top of the mainrail, and provided with an elevated portion, x, for raising thecarrier-wheels with their flanges above the main rail, substantially asset forth.

5. The combination of the continuous main rail, branch rail, and aswitch-rail movable laterally to and from the main rail, and a springbearing on the switch-rail to maintain it normally from contact with themain rail, and said switch-rail provided with an elevated portion, 00,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the main rail, branch rail, movable switch-rail,spring, and a carrier provided with a deflector for contacting directlywith and setting the switch-rail, sub stantially asand forthe purposeset forth.

7. The combination, with themain rail, the branch rails, and switches ofa store-service apparatus, of carriers provided with movable deflectorsfor operating the switches, and graduated stops adjacent to the railsfor setting the deflectors, the parts being graduated to set the properdeflector only prior to the car reaching the switch to be deflected,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the car of astoreservice apparatus,of a movabledeflector and detent for holding it in one position, and stops adjacentto the rails for operating said detent to release the deflector andpermit it to assume another position, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the frame of a car- -main rails, stops adjacentto the rails, and deflectors carried by the cars and movable verticallyby the action of said stops, substantiall as and for the purpose setforth.

11. The combination, with the main an branch rails, of a yoke, J,provided with a vertical rod, 26, a switch-rail pivoted to said rod, anda spring bearing upon the switchrail, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

12. The combination, with the upper and lower rails, of avertically-movable carriage supporting a tilting rail-section connectedat one end to an elevating-cord, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of the upper and lower rails,a vertically-movablecarriage supporting a tilting rail-section, a detent engaging With andholding the section in position whentilted, and a bearing adjacent tothe upper rail for contacting with and withdrawing the detent to releasethe tilting rail-section when the latter is adjacent to the end of theupper rail, substantially as set forth.

14c. The combination, with the upper and lower rails, vertically-movablecarriage, and

' tilting rail-section thereon, of a cord connected with the end of therail-section extending backward toward the end of the carriage andupward and over a pulley and downward to a salesmans station,substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with the verticallymovable carriage and tiltingrail-section pivoted thereto and detent for holding said section in itstilted position, of a cord connected to the rail-section and passingupward from a pulley and downward to the salesmans station,substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of the vertically-movable carriage, tiltingrail-section, elevatingcord, and pulley 38, supporting the cord in aposition to receive the carrier, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

17. The combination, with the verticallymovable carriage and tiltingrail-section and cord, of alever, S, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

18. The combination, with the verticallymovable carriage and tiltingrail-section and fixed upper and lower tracks, of a movable detent, 42,and spring for maintaining it in a position to arrest the carriers uponthe lower track, and contact-piece, as 45, on the carriage for operatingsaid detent and holding said railsection in its tilted position,substantially as set forth.

19. The combination, with a carrier, a Vertically-movable carriage, andtilting rail-section, of an elevating-cord connected to the end of thetilting rail-section to form a continuation thereof, whereby the carrieris supported by said cord and rail-section, substantially as described.

20. The combination, with the tracks of a store-service, avertically-movable carriage, and its tilting rail-section having a projection, 43, of a detent mounted on the carriage and adapted to engagethe rail-section to hold it tilted, and a pivoted detent, 42, having itsend located in the path of the detent on the carriage, whereby thelatter detent is moved to allow the rail-section to move into alignmentwith one of the tracks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AMES T. COWLEY.

\Vitnesses:

B. F. HARMON, J ENNIE STUART.

